Average power rating of opponents played: SAN FRANCISCO 20.5, WASHINGTON 20.3

SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

SAN FRANCISCO - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/26/2013

@ ST LOUIS

35-11

W

-3

W

43

O

40-219

15-23-151

2

19-18

19-41-170

2

10/6/2013

HOUSTON

34-3

W

-4

W

42.5

U

36-177

6-15-107

0

30-131

22-40-182

4

10/13/2013

ARIZONA

32-20

W

-9.5

W

40.5

O

38-149

16-29-238

2

21-109

25-41-294

4

10/20/2013

@ TENNESSEE

31-17

W

-3

W

41

O

41-153

13-21-196

0

13-70

25-41-298

2

10/27/2013

*JACKSONVILLE

42-10

W

-15.5

W

40

O

38-221

11-17-177

1

25-90

29-45-228

1

11/10/2013

CAROLINA

9-10

L

-6

L

43

U

24-105

11-22-46

2

30-111

16-32-139

2

11/17/2013

@ NEW ORLEANS

20-23

L

3.5

W

49.5

U

22-81

17-31-115

1

23-92

30-43-295

3

11/25/2013

@ WASHINGTON

12/1/2013

ST LOUIS

12/8/2013

SEATTLE

12/15/2013

@ TAMPA BAY

12/23/2013

ATLANTA

WASHINGTON - Season Results

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Team Stats

Opp Stats

Date

Opponent

Score

SU

Line

ATS

Tot.

O/U

Rushing

Passing

TO

Rushing

Passing

TO

9/29/2013

@ OAKLAND

24-14

W

-3.5

W

45

U

32-122

18-31-217

1

26-104

21-32-194

2

10/13/2013

@ DALLAS

16-31

L

5.5

L

52

U

33-216

19-39-217

2

19-48

18-30-165

1

10/20/2013

CHICAGO

45-41

W

1

W

47.5

O

43-209

18-29-290

1

22-140

17-28-219

1

10/27/2013

@ DENVER

21-45

L

11

L

58.5

O

28-112

20-39-154

5

34-107

30-44-339

4

11/3/2013

SAN DIEGO

30-24

W

-2

W

49

O

40-209

23-32-291

1

16-69

29-46-341

2

11/7/2013

@ MINNESOTA

27-34

L

0

L

48

O

36-191

24-37-242

0

24-91

21-27-216

1

11/17/2013

@ PHILADELPHIA

16-24

L

4

L

54

U

38-191

17-35-236

2

33-126

17-26-276

0

11/25/2013

SAN FRANCISCO

12/1/2013

NY GIANTS

12/8/2013

KANSAS CITY

12/15/2013

@ ATLANTA

12/22/2013

DALLAS

KEY GAME INFORMATION

SAN FRANCISCO: The 49ers have a big, man-blocking offensive line and frequently use either a fullback or a second tight end. The backfield is a committee, but there are plenty of touches to go around. Frank Gore is still the leader, getting a feature back workload for all intents and purposes, and Kendall Hunter will spell him in their more traditional looks. They'll also run a ton of zone read stuff for Colin Kaepernick, and will use second-year man LaMichael James in those packages more frequently. Converted defensive end Bruce Miller is strictly a blocker at fullback. Marcus Lattimore will likely have a redshirt year.
It's a lot of play-action, pistol formations and a lot of moving around for Kaepernick. His No. 1 target Michael Crabtree will be sidelined until at least December, and is more of a possession receiver, while TE Vernon Davis is going to stretch the field more often than either starting receiver. The Niners don't use a lot of three- and four-receiver looks, but they could rotate A.J. Jenkins into the game more often to provide more long speed on the outside. Mario Manningham is a question mark for the start of the season coming off torn knee ligaments. Gore takes about half their touches inside the 10 and will maintain goal line duties. They will let Kaepernick do his thing near the goal line.
The 49ers defense was truly elite last year (17.1 PPG allowed, 2nd in NFL; 294 total YPG allowed, 3rd in NFL). It might be even better in 2013 after adding CB Nnamdi Asomugha, rookie FS Eric Reid and DT Glenn Dorsey. DEs Aldon Smith (19.5 sacks) and Justin Smith are both healthy, and ILBs NaVorro Bowman (148 tackles) and Patrick Willis (120 tackles) comprise the best linebacker duo in the NFL. CB Tarell Brown (13 PD) is an underrated corner and SS Donte Whitner provides quite a wallop when making a tackle.

WASHINGTON: Only Seattle was more run-heavy than the Redskins last season, and even when he didn't keep it, everything they did was based on Robert Griffin III. It's head coach Mike Shanahan's classic zone blocking up front in the running game, but with the added threat of Griffin keeping and rolling out each time. It adds another dimension to an already excellent running scheme. Alfred Morris is a three-down workhorse and will take the overwhelming majority of the reps again. Evan Royster and Roy Helu will battle for the scraps, with Royster's versatility giving him an edge.
The passing game works off the running game, using a lot of play-action and rollouts for Griffin. Pierre Garcon is the closest thing to a No. 1 receiver, getting a lot of catch-and-run and crossing opportunities, and getting a fair share of bubble screens as well. They use three receivers often, with Josh Morgan staying in the lineup because he blocks so well. He'll get only a handful of catches as a possession receiver. Leonard Hankerson will push Santana Moss for third receiver reps. While H-back Fred Davis is close to a No. 2 receiver, the backs are rarely used to catch passes. The Redskins remain run-heavy in the red zone, with RGIII running outside the pocket or Morris pounding between the tackles.
Because the Redskins stuffed the run so effectively (96 YPG allowed, 5th in NFL), opponents chose to throw on them more than any NFL team (39.7 attempts per game) and piled up serious yardage. Rookie CB David Amerson and former Bucs CB E.J. Biggers should help the overworked secondary. Six different defenders scored touchdowns last year, but DE/OLB Ryan Kerrigan (8 sacks) was the only player with at least five sacks. Ageless ILB London Fletcher, 38, is still productive, and OLB Brian Orakpo is now healthy.

Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III took the NFL by storm last season as full-time starters for the first time.

This season hasn't gone smoothly for the quarterbacks of the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins.

Both players have faced criticism as they meet for the first time Monday night in Washington with both clubs trying to avoid a third straight defeat.

Kaepernick and Griffin led their clubs to division titles a year ago, and seemed to be the kind of multi-skilled athletes that were redefining the position with the help of the read-option offense, which seemed to perfectly maximize their talents.

The 2013 season may be proving otherwise.

The 49ers (6-4) were considered a favorite to return to the Super Bowl but are 3 1/2 games behind NFC West-leading Seattle and will likely need a strong finish to gain a wild-card spot. Kaepernick is ranked 31st in completion percentage at 56.2 with only 11 touchdown passes.

"I think we are (surprised) but we still have six more to go," Kaepernick said. "And we can still finish this season 12-4."

Washington (3-7) is in last place in the mediocre NFC East. Griffin has completed 59.7 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The quarterbacks have similarly pedestrian passer ratings, with Griffin at 83.6 and Kaepernick at 81.8.

The dynamic that gave these two an edge is their running ability, and Griffin ranks third among QBs with 345 yards on the ground while Kaepernick is fourth at 335. But while Kaepernick has three rushing touchdowns, Griffin has yet to find the end zone with his legs as he's coming off reconstructive surgery on his right knee.

"If you're talking about Robert or if you're talking about a guy like Kaepernick, everybody comes from different systems and when you go to the National Football League and you're working with a drop-back passing game and you haven't done a lot of that, it takes some repetition," Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said. "Whoever has been in those shoes realizes that it doesn't happen overnight."

Kaepernick's weaknesses were evident in a 23-20 loss at New Orleans last Sunday. He was limited to 127 yards passing on a day when San Francisco was held to a season-low 81 rushing yards.

The 49ers have been unable to stretch the field, with 24 pass plays of 20 yards or more for the third-worst total in the league. Things could improve Monday if wide receiver Michael Crabtree makes his season debut after being kept out by an Achilles injury.

"We'll see," coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I think he's close."

Griffin's leadership skills have been called into question following last Sunday's 24-16 loss at Philadelphia, in which his attempt to rally Washington from a 24-point deficit ended with an interception he threw off his back foot in the end zone in the final minute. He made comments that seemed to exonerate him from all blame, then clarified them Wednesday.

"I feel like for myself, moving forward, I have to be more wary of the hostility," Griffin said. "I was trying to give a compliment to Philadelphia's defense and it was taken as a shot against my coaches. It wasn't."

Coaching has certainly taken its share of criticism with Washington headed for its third last-place finish in four seasons under Shanahan, who defended the direction of the franchise.

"In the future it will get better," Shanahan said, "because we do have the ability to get more depth, we've got the ability to add some players on both sides of the football, and that gives you a chance to get better as a football team."

Another lowlight during this Redskins season was the allegation by left tackle Trent Williams that an official directed profanity at him last weekend. The NFL is reviewing the incident.

The 49ers' passing game could be easy to defend since all of Kaepernick's touchdown passes have gone to Anquan Boldin or Vernon Davis. Davis, a Washington native who will play at FedEx Field for the second time, has reached the end zone twice in his last four games after he had six TD receptions in his first five.

Washington's passing attack also needs improvement. Griffin went 7 of 14 for 57 yards through three quarters before his final numbers improved against an Eagles defense that was playing it safe with a 24-point lead.

Both quarterbacks have faltered despite strong rushing attacks, with Washington first in the NFL at 155.2 yards per game and San Francisco fifth at 141.0. The Redskins' Alfred Morris is 82 yards shy of a second consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Frank Gore ran for 107 yards to help San Francisco post a 19-11 victory Nov. 6, 2011, the last time these teams met.